The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Desperate bid to save school from ferocious blaze is relived
On the 20th anniversary of the inferno which destroyed Morgan Academy, firefighters reveal for the first time the tactics they used to battle the blaze. Unheard testimonies provide an insider’s view of an impossible fight, fraught with challenges, to save a historic and well-loved Dundee building. And unseen pictures, taken by off-duty firefighter Ed Thomson, depict scenes which shocked even the most experienced in the fire service.
It was rush hour on a blustery evening when the first signs of what would become one of Dundee’s biggest fires were spotted.
Plumes of smoke billowing from the top of the science building at Morgan Academy darkened the sky. Moments later it was filled with an orange glow, seen as far as Fife.
Unaware of the rapidly developing fire in the roof space above them, teachers prepped for that evening’s parents’ night, while cleaners worked busily.
Many of the pupils and staff, including then rector Alan Constable, were at DISC (Dundee International Sports Complex) watching Morgan’s hockey team take on Strathallan in the boys’ under-18s Scottish Cup.
A concerned member of the public made the first call to the former Tayside Fire and Rescue Service reporting smoke coming from the school at 5.17pm on March 21 2001.
A further 35 calls to emergency services reporting the same incident were received by control over the next half-hour, some from Newport and Tayport in Fife.
Retired firefighter Eddie Bree, then station officer at Kingsway fire station, was one of the first to attend the scene with his blue watch crews.
Eddie, a firefighter for 30 years, said: “At the top of Kingsway, at the circle, we could see a plume of smoke and as we got further down we realised it was Morgan.
“We went down Pitkerro Road and saw a raging fire in the roof, towards Forfar Road. It was going well already.
“I thought ‘No way I’m home before midnight’ – the amount of smoke that was halfway down Pitkerro Road, it was quite a spectacular sight.”
Flames rapidly engulfed the school’s roof space and at 5.31pm – eight minutes after arriving at the incident – crews sent their first message to control confirming fire in the roof.
Craig Millar, a firefighter for two years at the time, arrived with Macalpine station’s blue watch in response to the first make-up call.
He was one of only four firefighters to enter the school wearing breathing apparatus and tackle the blaze from inside.
Craig, now crew commander of amber watch at Blackness fire station, said: “When we got to the top of the stairs there were two sets of doors with glass partitions and we could see an orange glow on the other side.
“When we went through the doors everything you could see was on fire.”
Officer Eddie decided it was not worth the risk of putting firefighters inside as the chances of the roof collapsing were “substantial”.
The fire ravaged the building at speed, aided by strong winds on the cold March evening, just weeks before exam season.
Pupils could do nothing but watch in heartache as flames devoured their work.
As the blaze continued to escalate apace, senior officers were called in.
Deputy firemaster Jack Hutcheon was second in command and took overall charge until the arrival of then-firemaster Stephen Hunter.
Jack’s immediate concern was sourcing enough water to give crews any chance of gaining control of the flames.
He said: “I’d done a quick recce of the site and knew by the number of jets we had there at the time that we needed considerably more water than we had.
“The water mains around the school were sufficient for the properties there but we were overdrawing it so we needed a larger supply.”
Jack sought help from Scottish Water to increase pressure in the area at 5.44pm.
Firefighters were tasked with finding stronger hydrants, eventually locating a stronger source at Arbroath Road.
Crews set up a twin line – two runs of hoses side by side – all the way up Baxter Park Terrace.
At 7.32pm a call was made to control for more resources, bringing the total to 10 standard fire engines and three aerial ladder platforms.
The school’s iconic clock tower became engulfed and at 7.45pm it collapsed, leaving a large hole behind.
Retired firefighter Ed Thomson, who was off duty that night but a keen photographer, arrived moments before the tower’s collapse.
Ed, a firefighter for 32 years, said: “It was a ferocious fire. It was monumental.
“When I drove up and got out of my car and saw the tower, the pinnacle of the building, I could see it was going to go.
“I took a few pictures then seconds later it was down. Everything started to collapse.”
The incident was so intense that firefighters’ roles were rotated often to allow for rest and recuperation, and most crews were relieved after they had spent around four hours at the fire.
At 11pm the stop message was received, meaning that no more appliances were required and the fire was under control.
However, firefighting continued into the night.
The incident was not closed until the last engine left at 11.30am the next day.
As they left, only the three outer walls at the front and cast-iron supports were left standing. A shell of a building, Morgan Academy was 80% destroyed.
Fire investigators discovered the fire was caused by repair work which was being carried out to the roof, involving blowtorches being used to apply felting.
● To read more on this story, first-hand accounts from senior fire offices, key firefighters including those on aerial platforms and members of the control team, visit thecourier.co.uk where there are many more unseen pictures of the fire, closer than ever seen before. You can also scan the QR code below.